stonest

So, if you've been running around different forums, you'll see that my husband and I have been teetering back and forth about traveling to Greece next summer. Well, we decided to do it! I read a lot of posts and used a travel agent that someone else recommended and he has helped us plan a wonderful vacation.

My only question left at this point is: ferry or catamaran from Santorini to Athens? We're a little tight on the budget, so we really don't want to have to pay to fly. Our fantastic travel agent recommends the ferry and just pretending like it's a mini cruise. I get easily motion sick, and he says that the ferry is smoother than the catamaran. Is this true? Is 8 hours on a ferry a terrible idea?!

Do we need to just find the money and fly?

For a little bit of background, this is our planned trip:

3 nights in Athens
3 nights in Mykonos
3 nights in Santorini
1 last night in Athens before flying home

Any advice would be appreciated!!

brotherleelove2004

You might actually be able to find some flights that will cost about the same as the ferry. Aegean Airlines offers deeply discounted fares from Athens to the islands every year. I've actually seen some offered already for 15 euro plus taxes, so if you go to their website and keep a sharp eye out you should be able to take advantage of this offer when more are released later on.

http://www.aegeanair.com/

You can fly to Mykonos, take the highspeed ferry to Santorini and fly back to Athens from Santorini. Or do this in reverse.

If you sit along the centerline of the highspeed catamaran instead along one side or the other the rocking motion will be significantly minimized. And if the sea is calm you probably wouldn't notice it at all. It gets pretty windy by mid-July into August, which makes the sea rough; that's when you might need to be concerned. But May, June and early-July is usually pretty calm. If you still don't want to chance it then take the large Blue Star car/passenger ferry to Santorini, and then the same ferry from Santorini back to Paros, and from Paros it's a short hop aross to Mykonos on the highspeed. This will minimize the chance of you getting motion sickness.

worldinabag

Another vote for flying. Check Aegean or Olympic schedules and see if they line up with your international arrival flight. If so leave all of Athens last - the extra day you gain not to mention travel time you could tack on for the islands.

Weadles

If at all possible, fly! I am not that prone to motion sickness nor is my husband, but we had a hellish ride on the hydrofoil from Santorini to Crete, and that ride was only about 2.5 hours. Much depends of course on the weather the day that you depart, but since you can't know it in advance, I'd strongly recommend flying.

HappyCheesehead

HI Stonest,

We flew (45 minute flight ) Santorini to Athens for euro 25 per person all in last May. We used Aegean and had very nice planes. I would say fly if at all possible!

travelerjan

YOu may be thinking of the Staten Island Ferry, the BART ferries in SF, or the Ferries out of Boston or Maine.

The "regular" greek ferries -- especially the "Blue Star" line that goes from Santorini -- are like small ocean liners. Google "Blue Star" and click for details on Blue Star Paros or Blue STar Naxos ships. They typically hold 1200-2,000 passengers. On Blue Star you can get a "reserve economy" seat which allows you to sit outdoors anywhere on the rear deck as long as you like, but when you go indoors, you have a reserve on an "airline-style" seat -- (but NOT like today's cramped plane seating!). U can ask for seat in non-smoking separate side rooms, and Snooze. I have ridden this ferry in May, June and September, and the ride is VERY smooth, no wave sensation. In August and October, likeliest rougher watr.

yipper

HI,

I really do not have an opinion about what you should do, but twice I have taken the night ferry to Sanotrini. We got a stateroom and slept all the way, arriving as the sun was rising over the caldera. The ferry is ordinary, but the same cost, or less, than a hotel. We did fly back to Athens. It is an option. Go and have fun.

Yipper

travelerjan

Yipper, that's a lovely way to go, but many Santorini visitors don't have that option since that night ferry does not run in many months, and when it does, it only runs 1 or 2 nights per week. That's the main difficulty.

cathies

I've done both. We caught the ferry from Athens to Santorini and 3 days later flew back to Athens. The ferry was comfortable etc, but so boring. We were told by our travel agent that it would take about 6 hours, but it took 8 and was such a waste of our limited time. The flight back took 1/2 hour plus a short wait at Santorini airport.

stonest

Thank you all so much for your replies! I'll definitely look into discounted airline tickets!!